The 10th and final episode of Game of Thrones season six, “The Winds of Winter,” aired this past Sunday evening, and it was without a doubt one of the very best episodes of a television series ever made. Now we have entered into that oh so depressing time of year where we wait for a new season to begin. But there’s another layer to that sadness this time around, because the end approaches for this incredible journey we’ve been on, we know that to be true. Former president of HBO programming Michael Lombardo once made it clear he hoped the series would run until at least season 10, but for showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss it was looking more like season seven would be the end.

Now Weiss and Benioff are talking end game once again. The good news is that we will be getting more than seven seasons. The bad news is that there might not be nearly as many episodes in those remaining seasons as you hope there will be. See what they had to say below, but beware if you’re not yet caught up—there are some spoilers.

Is it just me, or has this felt like the longest year waiting for a new season of Game of Thrones yet? It’s safe to assume that the same thing will be said next year around this time.

We’ve seen plenty of teases for season six of the HBO fantasy drama, but thankfully the full trailer has just been released and it’s filled will all sorts of things that are sure to send your emotions scurrying off in many different directions like cockroaches at the flick of a light.

I shan’t waste any more of your time. Click on over to the other side now to check out the trailer for Game of Thrones season six!

Game Of Thrones
Episode 5.3 “High Sparrow”
Directed by Mark Mylod
Written by David Benioff & D.B. Weiss
Starring Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey, Aidan Gillen, Kit Harington, Natalie Dormer, Maisie Williams, Sophie Turner, Dean-Charles Chapman, Jonathan Pryce
HBO
Air date: Sunday, April 26, 2015, 9pm

Spoilers ahead for Season 5 of Game Of Thrones…

Last week’s Game Of Thrones, Episode 5.2 “The House Of Black and White”, saw Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) arrive to the House Of Black and White in Braavos in hopes of starting her training to become one of the Faceless Men, while her older sister Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) was traveling with Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen), but to where she did not know – only that it would be far away from Cersei’s clutches. That also meant away from Brienne of Tarth and her squire Podrick, who’ve come to protect her. Meanwhile, back in Kings Landing, Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) promised his sister and one true love Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) that he’d rescue their daughter Myrcella, who is living in Dorne, betrothed to Prince Trystane, nephew to the late Oberyn Martell’s – The Red Viper, who met a horrible end at the hand of The Mountain in Season 4. Over at The Wall, Jon Snow (Kit Harington) was voted Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, while Stannis Baratheon (operating as King of Westeros, with his own followers) offered him the thing he’s wanted most — to be legitimized as Ned Stark’s son and become Jon Stark. In Pentos, Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and the eunuch Varys (Conleth Hill) planned to join forces with Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), who is residing in Meereen where she’s under attack from the Sons of the Harpy who oppose her rule.

Game Of Thrones
Episode 5.1 “The Wars to Come”
Directed by Michael Slovis
Written by David Benioff & D.B. Weiss
Starring Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey, Aidan Gillen, Kit Harington, Diana Rigg, Natalie Dormer, Maisie Williams, Sophie Turner
HBO
Air date: Sunday, April 13, 2015, 9pm

Game Of Thrones, one of the most highly anticipated television shows of the year, made its return on Sunday night. But Episode 5.1 “The Wars to Come” felt more like a “where are they now” installment that could have been summed up with a 5-minute preview video instead of an hour-long episode that moves the story forward.

For this Season 5 debut we catch up with most of the cast of Season 4 — those who made it through the Season 4 finale, that is. In that finale, we saw Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) finally use her magic coin and utter the words “Valar morghulis” (All men must die) to gain passage to the free city of Braavos, where we know she will start her new life. Unfortunately, this first episode doesn’t feature her at all — we’ll have to wait for 5.2 to pick up on her story.

If you’re a fan of Game Of Thrones and the novels by George R.R. Martin on which it is based, then you already know that the HBO series does at times deviate from the Song Of Ice and Fire books. Recently, Martin, who is also an executive producer and writer on the television series, revealed that characters will die in Season 5 who are still alive in his books — books which we know take him a long time to write. Book 6, The Winds of Winter, was originally due out this year, but now the release date is up in the air. With the TV show beginning its fifth season next month, it’s been obvious for a while now that it would eventually surpass the books, and now we have official confirmation.

Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss confirmed at a recent panel discussion at the Oxford Union that the television series will conclude before Martin’s final books are published.